(RTTNews) - German luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz, affiliated to Daimler AG (DDAIF.PK), Thursday said it has signed a technology cooperation agreement with ProLogium, a Taiwanese solid-state battery maker, to develop next-generation battery cells for electric vehicles.
The first Mercedes-Benz test vehicles equipped with solid-state batteries co-developed with ProLogium are expected to be introduced in the coming years.
As part of the deal, Mercedes-Benz will make high double-digit million euro investment in ProLogium, and also will take a seat on ProLogium's board of directors.
The investment by Mercedes-Benz will be used to support the development of the technology and ProLogium's plan of establishing production capacity in Europe.
ProLogium has been working with Mercedes-Benz on the testing of EV battery cells since 2016.
According to the company, solid-state battery cells are one of the key levers for determining cost, scalability and energy density in the area of electric vehicle batteries. The solid-state electrolyte allows for the use of materials with high storage capacity, high-ionic conductivity, and higher chemical stability.
The companies also agreed on milestones that would enable integration of the solid-state battery technology into a range of passenger vehicles in the second half of the decade.
Mercedes-Benz plans to go all electric by 2030 wherever market conditions allow. ProLogium, with its solid-state battery R&D and manufacturing know-how, is expected to be a strong partner for Mercedes-Benz in battery technology.
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